


Promises

by mrs_squirrel_chester



Category: Arrow - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Female Reader, Female Reader angst, Female Reader fluff, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Laurel Lance angst, Laurel Lance fluff, Other, Sister-Sister Relationship, hurt Laurel Lance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-05
Updated: 2015-12-05
Packaged: 2018-05-05 00:28:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5354012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrs_squirrel_chester/pseuds/mrs_squirrel_chester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reader Request - Imagine being Laurel’s older sister and forbidding her to meet with the Arrow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promises

_“I hate you! It should have been you on that boat!”_

 

You were still staring at the door, even though your younger sister had slammed it over an hour ago. Why couldn’t she just listen? Why did she have to go and put herself in harm’s way? The Arrow was dangerous.

_“Laurel, please. He’s gonna get you killed!”_

 

_“You don’t get it. He’s trying to save this city, our home!”_

 

_“I forbid you from meeting with him!”_

 

Three knocks in rapid succession pulled you from the constant replay of what happened earlier. Wiping away the wayward tears, you threw open the door. But it wasn’t you sister standing on the other side.

“Daddy. What are you doing here?”

Quentin swallowed at the giant lump in his throat. “You’re not answering your phone. Laurel’s been in an accident. It’s bad, baby.”

* * *

It was so much worse than you imagined. In your mind you had pictured a few broken bones, maybe a concussion, or a punctured lung. But it was so much worse. It was all of that and more. She had run a red light and got t-boned by a moving van. Her right femur was fractured in four places to go along with three broken ribs, a shattered elbow, and a concussion that made her brain swell. Laurel was in a coma, and it was all your fault.

You couldn’t look at her. Not because of the bruising and swelling, but because you had done this to her. Not the Arrow. You. You had put your own sister in the hospital with life threatening injuries.

* * *

“She’ll wake up, baby.” He sounded so tired.

“When, daddy? It’s been a month.”

Quentin drew in a shuddering breath, squeezing your shoulder as he stood up. “Soon, soon.”

You weren’t sure if he was trying to convince you or himself. Probably both. “Why don’t you go home? I’ll stay with her.”

He dropped a kiss to your head. “Love you, baby.”

“Love you, daddy.”

Laurel’s hands looked naked when she wasn’t wearing various rings on her long fingers. Nail polish had been crudely removed by the hospital staff in an effort to get an accurate reading from the sensors during her multiple surgeries. Digging in your purse, you found some remover, a couple of cotton balls, and a bottle of polish. After the remnants of the dark purple polish had been removed, you set about painting her nails. You couldn’t remember the last time she hadn’t worn any.

“I’m sorry, Laurel. I… I shouldn’t have said what I did. If he… if the Arrow hadn’t pulled you out – the doctors say you wouldn’t have made it. Another five minutes, the time it would have taken the ambulance to get there, and I’d be burying another sister. I can’t… I can’t do that, Laurel. I can’t lose you. Please… please wake up. You have to wake up.” Sobbing, you pressed a kiss to the back of her hand.

* * *

Fingers twitched against your cheek moments before the heart rate monitor began to beep rapidly. You jerked awake at the same time two nurses barged into the room. They pushed you out of the room so they could assess their patient despite the fact that you begged them to let you stay.

You and your father paced back and forth for over 20 minutes before you were allowed back in. “Go on, baby. I’ll check in with the doc.”

Laurel was sitting up and smiling, albeit it weekly, when you stepped across the threshold. “Hey.” Her voice cracked. Going a month without using it and the presence of a breathing tube will take its toll.

Muttering a greeting, you wrung your hands together as you came to stand by her side. “Laurel, I-“

Her hand covered yours and squeezed. “It’s ok.”

“How can you say that? I… I said I hated you.”

“You remember when we were kids, and Sara wanted to run away?”

Chuckling through your tears, you nodded. “She packed crayons and coloring books and her favorite dolls.”

“And do you remember how mad she was when you told mom and dad?”

“Said she’d hate me for the rest of her life.” You sat down on the edge of the bed when she shifted awkwardly, pulling on your hands.

Laurel inclined her head and brushed her finger over a scar on the inside of your forearm. “Threw a book at you.”

“My favorite one.” The edge of the hardcover book had hit your skin just right.

“My point is, we’re Lance women. We’re crazy stubborn. We don’t listen and we say things in the heat of the moment that we don’t mean.”

Your eyes welled up and your chin quaked. “But Laurel –“

“Sweetie, I forgive you as long as you forgive me.”

“For what?”

“Not telling you about meeting with the Arrow in the first place. I knew how angry you’d be and I just… I wanted to help him without having to worry about you.”

Confused, you shrugged your shoulders. “Why would you worry about me?”

“What would you have done if I told you I was meeting with the Arrow and we were working together?”

“After forbidding you from it, you mean?”

Laurel laughed softly, clutching at her side. “After that.”

“I’d go with.”

“Exactly. You think either of us would be able to put our full attention on it? Cuz I know damn well we wouldn’t.”

You looked down at your hands, nodding in agreement. “Just… promise me you’ll be safe.”

Laurel held up her hand in a fist, save for her pinky. “I promise.”


End file.
